


Teenage Dream

by rosepetal987



Series: Teenage Dream [1]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, F/M, M/M, More ships will be added in time, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-30
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 12:00:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15485298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosepetal987/pseuds/rosepetal987
Summary: Life as a teenager is not easy. Life as a teenager is not fun. Axel decides he really hates high school. Axel decides this because Roxas is not there. Axel does not like high school one bit.





	1. Enter 1-1

**Author's Note:**

> This is made to be a huge tropey high school fic, so be prepared for some triggering stuff.

Axel was a freshman. Axel was a ginger. Axel was awkwardly tall and lanky. Axel was hormonal. None of these things worked in Axel’s favor. 

Axel had English first period and math second. Axel liked math. Axel liked counting. Axel liked counting the stars with Roxas during the summer. Roxas was not there. Roxas was still at the middle school. Axel was alone.

Axel felt ugly being alone. Axel felt worse after history when it was time for lunch. Axel only felt slightly better when a blue-haired man brushed against his shoulder in the calmest way the man knew how to say hello after not talking for… weeks… months… it was going on years. They had fallen out some time around when Axel really started to get fascinated with Roxas. Axel had a bad habit of only being able to focus on one person.

Saix had a habit of being worse at this than him. Saix had started to leave him alone in sixth grade when he met an eighth grader named Xemnas. By seventh grade Axel had started to focus in on Roxas. On only Roxas. And no amount of calls from the slightly older male was going to get him back come eighth grade.

Axel was 97% sure he was gay for Roxas.

“Come sit with us.” Saix whispered, calm and careful and as if they had not spent the last couple years hurting each other.

Axel nodded and learned that ‘us’ was Xemnas’s friends. Who were calmly introduced as Xigbar, Xaldin, Vexen, and Lexaeus.

Lexaeus looked as lost as he felt, and he was told some time later that the other member of the group, Zexion, had been assigned into the other lunch period but was working on it.

Axel was not a large fan of Saix’s friends. Axel was only placated when Saix handed him a juice box. Axel felt ready to shrivel up and vanish. Axel did not want to exist for one more moment.

Axel had absolutely no idea what the group was talking about and only made a sound when Saix nudged his shoulder and asked him if he was game.

“Vexen is having a pool party.”

“How many times must I say that my / _brother_ / is having the pool party and not I.” Vexen harped and Axel had never seen someone eat a tuna fish sandwich so angrily. Then again, he had never really seen someone with that kind of blond either, and that kind of straight could not be natural. Perhaps the ginger had found where he belonged.

“Okay, there is a pool party happening at Vexen’s house. Do you want to go?” Saix questioned before his voice lowered and he cast a look to the table, a ‘this is private’ kind of look, the look that made everyone listen closer, really. “Or are you still bad with water?”

"I’ll go.” Axel responded even if he could feel fear bubbling up underneath. This would be his chance to buddy with sophomores and juniors and he could not pass that up. If he was going to be a lanky ginger that was taller than everyone else, he might as well do it with style.

Saix nodded and dug through his bag for paper and pen, passing it over to Vexen for the details. Instead the man was handed back a flyer. A really colorful one at that and Axel was at a loss of words as he stared at the piece of paper that had no right being that yellow or green for that matter. It said the time and place though, and that was what mattered.

“As always this is an alcohol-free event so don’t you dare try bringing any. And if you want to do drugs at least do them away from the pool. I do not want another incident.” Vexen harped at the table and the way he said incident made it sound like a repeated accordance. It also made Vexen sound forty instead of sixteen.

Xigbar cracked a grin and clapped a hand against Vexen’s back. The blond flinched and sent his friend a glare that spoke volumes. He was the obvious perpetrator Axel deduced. “Come on, that was like / _one_ / time.”

“Yes, one time that / _Marluxia_ / nearly drowned!” The way the blond said 'Marluxia’ was weird to Axel. And it took him several minutes and zooning out the rest of the conversation to figure out way. It had been predatory. And no guy had the right to go from forty-year-old stick in the mud to predatory and protective sixteen-year-old in that short of a time.

Axel tuned in to Xigbar huffing and slumping down and playing with his peas that no one would eat because they were cafeteria peas.

Axel’s dad made his lunches, just like how Saix’s mom made his. Saix’s mom had this habit of putting in an extra juice box when they were kids. Saix had probably told her on a whim that Axel liked them. And once Axel realized the blue-haired man was sipping from his own juice box the redhead realized she had never stopped.

Saix’s mom had always been a bit weird though, so Axel decided that wasn’t too bad.

Xaldin was the one talking to Vexen now, and no amount of budging seemed to be lifting that alcohol age.

“We’re / _sixteen_ /. Demyx is only fourteen! I am not allowing it.”

Xaldin relented at that, cast Xigbar a look, and mouthed an 'I tried’.

Lexaeus was on Vexen’s other side and Axel was quickly learning the man did not talk much. The man held a conversation over Vexen’s woes with sounds and soft words and the occasional pat on the shoulder.

Axel slowly pieced together that they were both missing someone from the other lunch period. Axel would have found it sweet if it was Roxas at his side and not Saix.

He liked Saix. Saix had been his best friend. Saix had just saved him from awkwardly wandering around the cafeteria to find somewhere empty. But Saix was not Roxas.

Axel also decided that he did not like the bell that said lunch was over. It was even louder in the cafeteria, which made sense since it had to be heard over all the chatter, but it rang in Axel’s head all the way to science.

Science he could handle. He could handle it a bit better after learning Saix was in class with him and walked with him to it. Axel just might be able to make it through the school year after all.

It was the first day, which meant stuffing syllabus after syllabus into his black backpack. Roxas had a matching one. Roxas had a XIII sewn into his where Axel had VIII, on the right side near the logo.

Axel wasn’t sure he could make it every time he saw that.

Saix nudged him up at the end of class and Axel pieced together that the man was still not sure how to talk to him. That after all this time he was not sure how to approach him. That Saix would always be able to touch him. To make his heart race. But they had never been good at talking.

Axel was positive he would have fallen for Saix if it had not been for Xemnas pulling him away. Axel was positive Saix knew this. Axel was also positive Saix knew about Roxas.

But they were fourteen.

And what did fourteen-year olds know about love and sexuality?

Art was art. Art was something Axel liked. Art meant Axel could get his hands moving.

Axel liked to sketch Roxas. Roxas’s hair was fun to sketch.

Axel was unsure how to feel about the pink-haired man sitting to his right. Axel had to take a double take for the record, and for a lot more than that hair color. Maybe being a ginger wasn’t too bad.

P.E. was a different story, and not only because Axel was not fond of sports. He was totally fine with wresting Roxas for the remote. P.E. included getting a syllabus and talking about health and safety. And being the last period of the day and nothing else to do they were left just sitting in the gym.

Axel finally looked at his cellphone.

'I forgot my mom doesn’t pack carrot sticks because I always eat yours.’

'Oh god Sora just spurted milk all over the table.’

Roxas was kind enough to send a picture and Axel was left laughing.

'I’ll give you kisses if you do my math homework.’

Axel stared at the text for several moments as he decided what direction to take it. He and Roxas weren’t really anything. He was fourteen, Roxas was thirteen, and the kid just liked to tease him. The kid had teased him like that since they were seven.

'School needs to be over.’

'School really needs to be over.’

'You better come over after school.’

'History is booorring.’

Roxas had never been much of a texter. Axel was quickly figuring out that that was because they were usually together. But now they were schools apart and texting was the only way Roxas could update him on his life. Axel felt a bit bad for not checking his phone sooner.

'Oh ya. If you find Riku totally give him a hug for Sora. Sora’s hair is down.’

Another picture and Axel had to agree. Sora actually managed to look worse than Axel felt, and that pretty impressive Axel would applaud if the reason was not so sad. Riku had known Sora for even longer than Axel had known Roxas.

Riku was also totally 100% gay for Sora. Axel was positive.

Riku was worse than he and Saix put together, and that was a lot of 'I can only focus on one person at a time’ ability right there.

Riku was bad with people. Axel was a lonely fucker. Saix was… Saix. Saix was an all or nothing kind of person.

Axel used to admire that.

'Ya, I’ll come over.’ Axel shot back after flipping through a few more messages. Axel did not get a text back and the redhead tried to remember when the middle school got out. Was it before or after the high school? Fuck it. Even if he did show up at Roxas’s before he did what did it matter?

The bell of freedom eventually rang, and Axel slipped his bag back on, holding it over one shoulder because he was 'cool’ and 'edgy’ like that. Or something. He would work on his image later.

Later when he did not have a craving for twinkies and Roxas’s face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What did you say about my boyfriend?!” Vexen was not thinking when his fist collided with the senior. All Vexen knew and saw was red, and the senior fell to the ground, staring up at the 6'3" junior for all he was worth.

The blond only started to see color again when he felt a hand on his shoulder, warm and careful, “Stop.” and a voice he knew but at the same time did not. “It-it’s okay.”

"Your voice cracked.” Vexen smiled as he turned to face Marluxia once the senior scurried off. Probably to the nurse or security. Vexen did not much care with the way Marluxia smiled at him.

Marluxia curled a hand around Vexen’s, pressing the blond’s left against his neck, his adam’s apple that was just a bit more pronounced that last week. “I’ve been having to shave too. Not much, but… it’s something.”

“That’s wonderful.” Vexen beamed and Marluxia threaded their fingers together. Vexen would have kissed him if they were not at school. But instead he tugged Marluxia along to the bathroom, saying it was to clean off his hands, but the giggles that left Marluxia told him the younger man knew otherwise.

Vexen pressed little kisses to Marluxia’s face once they were inside. "How goes changing your schedule?”

"I’ll see you at lunch.”

“Splendid.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was Thursday. Axel had lasted to Thursday. He had settled into having lunch with Saix and finally started to feel comfortable when there was a change to their sitting arrangement.

Someone new had settled between Xigbar and Vexen, and from the way everyone greeted him this seemed normal. Waited for.

“I’m Marluxia.” The rose-haired person stated, and Axel stared at him, stared at him and it must have been the wrong stare because Vexen was making a noise.

Before he could speak though Axel was snapping “We have art together.”

Marluxia nodded and the table calmed back down.

Axel did go back to staring at Marluxia once Saix handed over his juice box and the redhead was nibbling on his salami sandwich.

Marluxia’s face was round, like girlish round, really girlish round. Not that Axel knew much about girls. So instead he tuned into the way Marluxia talked with the table, a bit short and clipped, and… and Marluxia cracked at times. Kinda like how Roxas cracked. Axel found it cute and supposed he shouldn’t be too surprised that there were other freshman in the circle.

So, he shrugged it off.

It did not come up again until Saix and he were talking to class. “Marluxia and Vexen got together last year.” The man started, tone even more serious than usual, and that was a feat in itself. It was also that voice Saix used when he did not want to repeat himself. That voice that meant Axel better be listening. Saix had last used that voice about Xemnas. “Marluxia started taking hormones during the summer.”

Axel stopped in the hallway and Saix huffed and shoved his shoulder to at least keep him walking. Stopping was death. “So, Mar really is a chick?”

“No. And if Vexen hears you say anything like that he will beat you to an inch of your life.”

“You talking from experience?” Axel whispered and Saix’s shoulders slumped.

“He beat up his /brother/. He almost beat up Lexaeus.”

“How is that possible?”

“Lexaeus would let Zexion and Vexen do just about anything to him, according to Xemnas.”

“Wow.” Axel ran a hand through his hair. “So earlier… Vexen thought I was going to say something rude.”

“Basically. He’s really protective. I cannot tell you if it is out of fear or love, but I can tell you Marluxia does not need it. Marluxia’s- I don’t know… he’s gotten into a lot of fights, but I’ve never heard anything about him hurting people.”

“A pacifist?”

“Maybe.” Saix shrugged and nudged Axel into science, taking places in the back like proper uncaring freshman. Not that Axel actually didn’t care, but Saix liked to be away from people. Saix also was farsighted and hated to wear his glasses. Axel thought his glasses were neat because they had crescent moons on the sides. Saix thought of them as something else to lose. Saix really hated losing things.

“Do you know anything else?” Axel asked, they still had a solid minute until class started and their teacher was the type to waste the first few anyway, so they could talk.

“About Marluxia?”

“Ya.”

“I think he’s sensitive about it. His appearance. That’s why Vexen is so defensive,” Saix stated, paused for a moment, checked his phone, replied, and returned to talking, “Marluxia just sees what is wrong, and Vexen is the kind of guy that once he loves something he sees what is right and perfect.”

“You really do spend a lot of time around them.”

“They are Xemnas’s friends.” His tone had gone defensive and Axel reached out a hand and brushed his fingers over Saix’s, careful and gentle, and a lot like they had done when younger. When they would watch the stars instead of he and Roxas. Saix really liked space. Saix wanted to get tiny little stars all over his body. Saix liked to tell Axel his horoscope in the morning.

Axel had never much cared about those things, but he tried for Saix. Axel felt bad for being around Saix like this. Saix was not Roxas.

“They’re your friends too, Saix. You are capable of having more than like three friends.”

Saix stared at him. That stare that meant he was thinking. Because Axel and Xemnas made two.

“Anyway. They’re your friends. I’m happy you know them. So, what else can you tell me?” Axel’s voice became even more hushed once the teacher actually started writing on the whiteboard, something about tectonic plates and earth quarks and what’s going on in the world.

Axel’s dad watched the news. Axel’s dad did little else besides watch the news and work. Which meant Axel knew a lot of news. Which also meant what his teacher was drawling on about was stored in the back of his brain. If it was really important Saix would know.

Saix always knew important stuff.

“Xemnas finds them interesting.” Saix responded after fiddling with his phone once again. Saix always looked tense when he used his phone, but Saix always looked tense. Axel had very rarely ever since Saix not tense and most of those times included stars or a shower. “Xemnas finds Vexen interesting. I-” He paused, paused in that way he always did when saying something that was his own thought. Saix had a weird habit of telling him what Xemnas thought. Flat and simple. “I do not think he and Marluxia get along.”

They had seemed civil in the forty-five minutes which made up lunch, but then again Axel had not really been paying attention. Axel paid more attention to his sandwich and the slight weight of Saix against him than anything else.

“I worry.” Axel almost missed that. If he had been paying attention to the teacher an ounce more he would have missed it. Saix did not worry. Okay. That was a lie. Saix did not worry about things like tests. Saix barely worried about what people thought of him. For Saix to worry meant he was honestly concerned. He was afraid. Of what Axel wasn’t perfectly sure.

“Do you think Vexen is going to hurt Xemnas?” Axel questioned and Saix nodded. He actually nodded. Axel felt sick to his stomach.

That was also when Saix decided that paying attention in class was a good thing and returned to his picturesque silent state.

Axel would find it disturbing if he was not used to it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zexion showed up Friday. Axel had never seen someone so short act like he owned the place. Zexion set himself between Vexen and Lexaeus, shot Vexen a look, licked Lexaeus’s apple, said afternoon to Xemnas, and then ate his jelly sandwich like none of it had happened.

Axel concluded that Zexion had balls. Past that Axel was not sure how to feel about the kid whose part was ridiculously to the side and caused his bangs to arch and cover half his face. The first word that came to mind was emo. The oversized hoodie did nothing to help the fact, even if it was light blue, okay, that was a lie, the color did help a bit. But for every part the light blue subtracted the / _eyeliner_ / took away. Axel was positive that was eyeliner.

Axel suddenly felt out gayed by a kid who was probably barely taller than five feet, if even.

Zexion was a fellow freshman, Saix informed him because someone (probably Xemnas) had decided that Saix giving him information instead of people at the table was easier.

The rest of what he could see of Zexion included a heart shaped ear stud and eyebrows that were too perfect. Axel half wondered if the other half of the kid’s face was the same.

Zexion talked mostly to Lexaeus, who, much like he had done with Vexen, made sounds back at the underclassmen. He did seem to honestly talk to him a bit more.

Axel didn’t really tone into their conversation until he picked up the words pool party. The elusive event he had been invited to on Monday and no one talked about again since.

“I expect you to be there.”

“Of course, I will be there.” Lexaeus’s voice was a lot softer than one would think it would be for a guy his size and Axel found that kind of admirable.

Zexion turned to the man then, hands on the table before reaching for the man, curling, and going back to his lap. “Promise?”

“I promise.”

Zexion nodded and stilled at the kiss pressed to the top of his head, as did the rest of the table. But it was not a bad still. More just people really noticing Zexion was there. As if he had just been there but not really / _there_ / until Lexaeus had touched him.

Zexion did not relax until Lexaeus had leaned away and handed him a granola bar. Zexion had not blushed. Zexion had just sat there, still, frozen, but considering the way the table did not react Axel was left thinking this was something normal. That Zexion was the one being weird.

He turned to Saix for advice to be met with the back of blue hair and the realization that he was talking to Xemnas. Of course, he was talking to Xemnas. That was what Saix did during lunch.

Axel could have asked. Could have spoken up. But he was a week-old freshman who was totally new to the group and really did not think that was his place yet. He supposed it could wait.

So, it did wait. And waited. And waited more until the bell rang and Saix stood, picked up his bag, waited for Axel to do the same, and they headed to class.

“What’s the deal with Lexaeus and Zexion?”

“Unknown.”

“What the fuck do you mean unknown?” Axel huffed and waved his arms in front of him, nearly hitting someone in front of them. Saix didn’t not know things. It was Saix’s job to know things.

“Zexion is a freshman.” Saix stated, rubbed a hand over his face, leaned against the wall outside of their classroom. “Lexaeus is a junior. For as long as I have known the group they have known each other, but what their relationship actually is I don’t know.”

Axel’s lips curled into a simple O and he settled down, leaned against the wall next to Saix and brushed their shoulders together.

“So that kiss earlier?”

“Kiss?” Saix sounded confused.

Axel was tempted to mimic it, to nuzzle into Saix’s ridiculous hair, into the roots he helped dye, but resisted and instead just pointed to his own head. “Ya, they were talking and Zexion said something and Lexaeus kissed him on the head.”

“Talking about what?”

“The party? Lexaeus promised he would go. I didn’t really follow. But then he kissed Zexion on the head. Zexion went totally still. I guess I was the only one paying attention.”

“It is possible that Lexaeus is trying to express his feelings for Zexion but there are rumors he is into Vexen… and that Zexion is into Vexen’s younger brother.” Saix stated, flat and careful before he shook his head and turned to enter the class. “The party will hopefully clear some things up. You freshman are causing a mess for Xemnas.”

“…You’re a freshman too, Saix.” Axel mumbled and took his usual place with Saix, by now used to the way he checked his phone. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Do you do anything else?” Saix huffed, but it was a good-natured huff and he smiled at him. “I really do not know much about Zexion. He… has conflicts with Xemnas, which means I know little about Lexaeus as well. They eat with us, and come to parties, but outside of that they keep to each other.”

“How do you feel about Xemnas?” Saix went tense and the phone in his hand was clung to tighter. His lifeline, Axel figured. Who else would Saix be checking messages from besides Xemnas?

“How do you feel about Roxas?”

Axel stared at him before combing a hand through his hair, rubbing the back of ginger strands. He should have expected that, but he had just succeeded in going half an hour without actually thinking about the blond. That was a new record! And there Saix had to go. Opening his chest and poking at his heart, but Saix was always good at that.

“I asked first, Saix. Or are you implying that what I feel for Roxas is what you feel for Xemnas?”

Saix slipped his phone back into his pocket before he was scrambling for paper in his bag besides the notebook he used for class. The party flyer was pressed down in front of Axel and he could hear the way Saix swallowed. “Xemnas lives across the street.” Saix whispered, honestly whispered, not his usual low tone and voice but an actual soft whisper. Saix was nervous.

Holy shit.

Saix was nervous.

“We’ll be late.”

/We’ll/, as in he was going to be with Xemnas. As in he was coming to the party with Xemnas. Walking to the party with Xemnas.

“I’m spending the night at Xemnas’s and the party is tomorrow… Your dad can drive you, right?” Saix’s hands had shifted to grabbing onto his pants and Axel had never seen his friend act so his age. Saix was mature. Saix had always been mature. Mature was Saix’s thing.

Axel didn’t like to think about why.

“Ya. So, you and Xemnas are-”

“Nothing official.”

“Okay.” Axel nodded and placed a hand on the other’s, squeezing it softly. “I’m here for you. You know? I know I wasn’t in the past and I’m really, really, really sorry about that, but I am now.”

“I know.” Saix sighed and slipped his hand away, focus turning to his notebook and the teacher. His usual way of saying they were done.

Science was science. Earth Science was all stuff he had learned in elementary school, it felt like, and thus he had some serious issues paying attention to anything his teacher said. Which meant the next forty minutes of his life were as boring as life could get. He wanted to text Roxas. Roxas still texted him at school. Always sent a picture during lunch. But it was a bit less than the first day.

This was going to be a long school year.

Art though. Art was going to be interesting on the sole purpose that he now knew someone in it. Knowing someone in a class always made it easy.

Marluxia, from what he had gathered, was a not so typical fellow with a passion for hair dye and a lot of black. That was the other thing he had noticed at lunch. Zexion next to anyone else would seem like a pit of emo existence, next to Marluxia he looked almost colorful. Black was said to go with everything. Black was said to be slimming. Black was also neutral.

Axel imagined Marluxia would wear red if it did not clash with his hair. Axel felt the same.

What Axel did not figure was the fact that Marluxia would talk to him in that same clipped short sentence not full answer pattern he did at lunch. Marluxia felt weird about his voice. Axel wanted to tell him that everyone felt weird when their voice started to change. Roxas had almost fallen off the couch the first time he heard Axel’s voice crack.

“Hey, Marluxia, right?” They were having lunch together and from the other half of what Saix had told him would be having lunch together until Xemnas decided they did not.

“Right. And you’re Axel.”

Axel grinned. Axel always grinned when people remembered his name. Axel had this totally not weird love of people remembering his name. “Yup.”

“Coming to the party?”

Their teacher was setting up this power point about some 18th century painter. Axel was not a big fan of history. Axel just wanted to draw. But nope. He was stuck in a seat with a notebook taking / _notes_ / instead of drawing. Instead of making.

Marluxia on the other hand looked pleased to be taking notes. Marluxia had also been really pleased when the teacher said his name right. Axel half wondered if he always had that name or if it was new for this year. Axel did not ask. Axel doubted he would ever ask.

“You taking back my invite?” Axel teased.

Marluxia actually looked thoughtful for a moment, before he laughed softly, hand going to cover the sound, and Axel near let something slip out about how / _girly_ / that was. Because that’s what guys did. Guys called out when other guys were girly because that was a totally bad thing. Axel didn’t get why guys did it. Axel didn’t get a lot of things.

Axel realized why Vexen was so protective. Axel nearly wanted to be protective to.

Axel would probably kill someone for Marluxia.

Axel would probably kill someone for Roxas too, but that was different.

He didn’t / _feel_ / anything for Marluxia. Marluxia was just there. Marluxia was a friend. Axel did not like seeing his friends hurt.

“I do have that kind of power.” Marluxia concluded, “Since it is my boyfriend’s house.” There was a softness in the way he said boyfriend. Something affectionate. Something loving.

Something Axel wanted to be able to do. Axel really wanted to be a sophomore already.

“You wound me.” Axel kidded and Marluxia smiled. Something soft and genuine but at the same time something seemed off. Axel probably only noticed it because he was staring at Marluxia so intently. But he could not place what. Axel wanted to touch Marluxia. Axel had this want to figure out what was real and what was… something else. Axel was not sure how to explain it. Axel put it off as just not knowing the other well enough.

“You can show up whenever. Demyx has an open-door policy. Vexen might make a fuss but ignore it.”

“Telling people to ignore your boyfriend is a bit weird.” Axel mumbled and Marluxia looked away. Axel was pretty sure this was the first time he had really seen the back of the guy’s head. His hair was layered and looked really soft. But even that seemed off. Axel tried to wrack his brain for how hormones worked with hair and could only come up with where it grew and not really how. Axel put that thought to the side once Marluxia looked back to him.

“Vexen and Demyx are opposites. You’ll understand tomorrow.”

Axel nodded and Marluxia went quiet for a while.

Quiet until he had ripped out the corner of his paper and handed it over to Axel with his phone number on it.

For all the information Saix gave him people’s contact info was not it. He had Xemnas’s email for emergencies, and he assumed the number on the flyer was either Vexen’s or Demyx’s, maybe even their home phone. But the rest he was at a loss about.

Axel was not the kind of guy to text in class, even if he was sneaky and knew how to perfectly, but it was just not something he did. Entering Marluxia into his contacts was a different story altogether because he was left with the horrifying realization that he had no idea how to spell his name. He could have asked. The logical thing to do was ask. In the end he just entered it as ‘Mar’ and texted him a simple ‘hey it’s Axel’ so he would have his too.

Marluxia looked the type to keep his phone on mute at school. Axel half wondered what kind of ringtones Marluxia would have. He honestly doubted his clothing was anything to go by for his music taste.

Guy was probably into pop.

It looked like Axel was at least going to be able to get through the end of the day. Morning was still hell.

It also just hit Axel that maybe he could bring Roxas. Roxas loved to swim. Roxas loved water. Roxas loved going to the beach more than anything.

Axel held off talking to Marluxia again until they were packing up, and Axel realized that Marluxia’s bag made up for all the black. It was this light blue shoulder bag, one of those really sturdy ones and he had covered it in pins. Axel almost forgot what he wanted to ask based on wanting to read the pins. They looked Hot Topic. They looked anime con grabbed. Axel was pretty sure behind all the black Marluxia was actually a huge nerd.

It would explain how he grabbed captain science Vexen.

“Hey, Mar.”

Marluxia stopped and turned to him, and Axel finally looked at all of him. Of course, Marluxia would be taller than him. Sure, Axel was tall for a freshman, but Marluxia was still a junior.

“Yes?”

“Can I bring someone to the party?”

“A date?” Marluxia questioned and gestured for Axel to follow him out of the room. “Where’s your class?”

“Gym A.”

“Ahh, I have English that way.” By that way he meant downstairs and to the left a bit. Axel did not mind having someone to walk half of his distance with. It also seemed that the more Marluxia talked the more confident he got. Or more so, the more he knew the person talking to him would not laugh at him.

“He’s not a date. I mean-”

“Is he at the middle school or does he go here?” Marluxia asked and stopped in front of his classroom, fixing Axel a look. “Vexen treats his brother like he’s an elementary schooler. So, bring whoever you want. Just know Xemnas might chew them out later.”

“What even is Xemnas’s deal?”

“He…” Marluxia sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “He got puberty first. Basically. And you / _know_ / Saix. Figure out the rest.”

Axel was shell shocked. Not because he did not know, but for someone to actually say it. “Lexaeus looks at Zexion the same way. That bitter dread over the age difference.”

So Marluxia had noticed. Axel had been trying to figure out what that look meant this whole time. But did that mean Lexaeus was in love with Zexion? Or was it different. He knew Xemnas relied on Saix. And he knew Saix was hopelessly infatuated with Xemnas. But the rest. Axel sighed and flexed his fingers, thinking, processing.

“You should get to class.” Marluxia stated and Axel froze when the rose-haired guy pressed a kiss to his cheek and turned away to enter his class like that was normal. Axel was left with more questions than he had started with, and that was before the warning bell went off and he bolted to go change for gym.

Gym was gym. Gym was boring but at least it meant he could get some energy out. Gym would be a lot more fun with Roxas on his team. Gym would be a lot more fun with Roxas in the locker room with him.

Axel had gym and did not need to have a hardon.

Axel checked his phone at the end of the day to three new messages from Roxas, flicked through his complaints and waited outside on the curb until his dad came to pick him up.

He called Roxas.

Roxas got out before him.

Roxas picked up on the third ring.

“Do you have plans tomorrow?”

“I do.”

Axel had not expected that. Roxas was not the type of person to make plans. “Okay.” Axel hung up. 


	2. Pool Party 1-2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the pool party! And that means drama and party games.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Death mention. Suicidal thoughts. Sinclairs are complicated when it comes to religion.

 It was totally Saix’s fault he was late, even if Marluxia said it was a show up whenever kind of deal. Axel showed up after Saix, and Saix said he would be late, so thus Axel was late too.

The front door was unlocked. The front door had a cheesy bright green 'come in’ on it. Axel was starting to equate the color to Vexen’s eyes. Axel would probably never want to see the color again by the end of the year.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Axel showed up to the fight and had no idea why Zexion and Marluxia were fighting. What he did know was that they were shoving each other, and that Marluxia was winning in that regard. Winning to the point that Zexion fell and was cursing at Marluxia. Only then did Axel really focus on their conversation.

“Just go suck Demyx’s dick, Zexion.” Marluxia hovered and Zexion smirked, something cruel, something wrong, and Axel could feel the world crumble before it hit.

“You know, I’d tell Vexen the same but-”

Marluxia was on him, and Axel had half the mind to stop him, to stop him from punching Zexion square across the face but instead he stopped. Hovered. Watched the way Marluxia nearly punched him, but he was breathing too hard, too fast, and his hand was set on the floor instead.

“…Marluxia?“ Zexion sounded way too worried for a guy that was just cursing at him, but it’s not like Axel had known Zexion for more than a few days. Maybe this was just how the two acted.

“Don’t.” Marluxia heaved but it was probably supposed to be a threat.

Instead Zexion carefully pushed Marluxia up and away, helped the man to sit and stared at him.

Marluxia was nearly hyperventilating Axel realized, and from the way Zexion was sitting before him but not saying anything this was not the first time.

Axel had the thought to wonder where Vexen was, but he was the host, or his brother was the host. Either way, he probably had better things to do than always be around Marluxia.

“I didn’t mean that.” Zexion whispered and Marluxia nodded, tried to talk, and instead breathed deeply.

Axel slipped away then. When he was sure Marluxia was okay. He was still unsure what really happened, but it seemed normal. Like that kind of friend fight that just went too far too fast.

Saix and he used to have a lot of those.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Axel was not a fan of water. Axel had never been a big fan of water.

Axel was a fan of Saix helping him put sunscreen on. Axel was a fan of tanning.

Axel was not a fan of the way he could feel Xemnas glare at him.

Axel was positive Xemnas was still glaring at him even after Saix finished and returned to the junior’s side. Even after Saix had taken off his shirt and leaned his head against Xemnas’s shoulder.

Saix had not said anything to him, so Axel was left to assume either nothing happened or nothing they could risk others hearing about happened. Axel really didn’t care much.

~~~

A part of Axel was disappointed to see Marluxia sitting under an umbrella in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt.

A part of Axel had been hoping to see Marluxia in a swimsuit. Axel really hated that part of him. Any other time Axel had no problem seeing Marluxia as a guy, and it’s not even like Axel wanted to see any babes. He was like 3% into babes. But a tiny, miniscule, itty bitty part of him was really damn curious.

He thought about asking Saix. He even thought about asking Vexen. Vexen would probably punch him. Saix probably would not know. So, he was left really damn curious. He was left even more curious once Vexen joined him and gave him a drink.

Vexen did not look like the type of guy that even if Marluxia would wear a swimsuit would let him. Vexen looked like the type of guy to-

Shit.

That shirt was totally Vexen’s. Marluxia was totally wearing Vexen’s shirt. That was the only possible reason for Marluxia wearing something not black. Not that it was a big surprise. They were dating after all.

Axel shrugged that away.

It seemed that everyone was around the pool by now. Xaldin at the barbeque, Xigbar hovering near him. Axel had really no care to figure out what was going on between them. Saix would probably tell him but why waste his time.

All he needed to know was that Xaldin knew what he was doing with that barbecue. Axel was starving. Axel was also ready for a nap.

Axel shifted and spotted Zexion in the pool, his hair matted to his face and no matter how many times Lexaeus moved it away Zexion would move it back. Axel was officially pretty sure there was something going on between the two of them.

Demyx had about the weirdest hair he had ever seen and considering that he helped Saix with his blueness and weird parts and not spikes that had to be saying something. He was not even sure what to call it, but the best he could come up was that Demyx’s hair either grew upwards or he was using some serious waterproof products, because even when he joined Zexion in the pool it stayed up.

From what Axel could see Demyx was the talkative type, and Zexion was the type to be polite to a certain point. That was why he was surprised to see Zexion do what could only be called / _laughing_ / as he pushed his fellow freshman back. Demyx also had to have like six inches on Zexion. That was counting his hair. Which meant Demyx totally / _let_ / Zexion push him back. They were flirting.

Zexion was flirting.

And even if he had only known the kid for like a day that still seemed remarkably not like him. Either Demyx was magical, the sun was going to Zexion’s head, or Axel was really bad at reading people.

Axel was betting on the sun.

What Axel was not betting on was Riku coming through the sliding glass door. Silver hair in a ponytail, sunglasses down, and white shirt on.

What Axel was not betting on was Demyx jumping out of the pool, something he did with what could only be called expert skill, it also left Zexion staring at his back as Demyx basically jumped Riku, arms wrapping around him and making said white shirt totally null and void.

Axel was not stumbling out of his lounge chair until Sora popped into view, Riku obviously introducing them and then Roxas.

/Roxas/.

Roxas at the same pool party as him. Roxas with his silly spiky hair and water wings that matched Sora’s and had probably been insisted on by Riku. Roxas who talked with Demyx with a raised brow and a fond gesture to where drinks were.

Drinks being soda because everyone knew Vexen’s threats were real.

Axel nearly walked into the pool. Literally into it. Axel tried to walk in a straight line to Roxas. It made sense at the time. It did not make sense when Marluxia was standing in front of him, literally blocking him, and Saix was grabbing onto his arm.

The only problem was Axel didn’t realize Marluxia was in front of him until he walked into the guy, and Marluxia had not gotten to him until he was basically at the edge and Saix did not have the time to grab him and Marluxia.

Marluxia fell into the pool.

Axel was not sure who screamed. Axel just knew that it was deafening, horrifying, and above all else inhuman. And it did the trick to stop him from trying to walk in a straight line to Roxas.

Roxas who had also turned to the scream, can of sprite in hand and nearly dropped it.

Zexion was the first one to Marluxia’s side in the water, Vexen was at the edge and Lexaeus was finally in the water and carrying Marluxia out. Up the stairs and into the house with Zexion and Vexen behind him.

If Axel knew more he probably would have worried. But he knew nothing about Marluxia past what Saix had told him and the bit from class.

Axel was not too happy that Roxas showed up now. Roxas walked to him, properly, around the pool, like a normal not lovestruck fool. Axel did not move until a moist can was pressed into his arm.

“What just happened?”

“I, uh, forgot the pool existed?” Axel tried to laugh it off. Axel tried to act like that had not happened. Axel wished he had never come to the party. The redhead sighed and ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head at the look Roxas gave him, head tilted, eyebrow raised, smirk, it was his ‘really Axel?’ look. Any other time Axel would have wanted to kiss it. Right then he wanted to vanish from existence. “What are you doing here?”

“Demyx invited Riku who invited Sora who invited me.” Roxas replied and gestured for them to move away from the now empty pool. Axel sat back down on his lounge chair and Roxas sat next to him, keeping a totally bro distance of like a foot. Axel did not like that foot. “So seriously, what just happened?”

“I told you. I forgot the pool existed. Straight lines are the shortest measure of distance and just- jesus, Roxas, I was surprised to see you, okay?”

“We saw each other on Monday.”

“It’s not the same.” Axel huffed and buried his face in his hands, and Roxas fell silent. Roxas fell really silent and Axel expected to see Roxas when he felt a hand on his knee but instead he looked up to Saix crouching before him.

“Xemnas has informed me that you, the both of you, need to stay really calm when- if- Marluxia returns.” Saix’s voice was flat, that flat it took when he was overly serious, when he needed Axel to listen to him.

Axel nodded and Roxas did as well, Axel assumed, since Saix left. Or, Saix almost left, but turned back and tilted his head to the side, nibbled on his lower lip in a way that was completely not Saix. “You should probably reapply your sunscreen.”

Axel nodded after a moment and Saix still stood there, still troubled, still making an expression that Axel could not place. Axel thought he knew all Saix’s looks. But this one was… it was too open to be Saix. “It’s good to see you, Roxas.”

Axel thought his heart would stop. Saix was trying to be civil to Roxas. To the boy that had taken him away, even if technically Xemnas had taken Saix away first. Saix was honestly trying for Axel’s sake.

Roxas nodded, mouth opening and closing and all he was able to manage to get out was a “Yeah.” That seemed to be enough for Saix and he turned and returned to Xemnas’s side under an umbrella and by Xaldin and Xigbar.

Axel was no longer starving. Axel felt ready to vomit. Axel wanted to go home.

“I’m going to assume the guy that fell into the pool was Marluxia.”

“Ya.”

“Any reason we would laugh at him?”

Axel shrugged, racked his brain, “He might be wearing Vexen or Demyx’s clothes?” Which meant ill fitted color, so Axel did not get it either.

“Which one is Vexen?”

“The other blond, Demyx’s brother. Other guy was Zexion, kid might make you look tall.” Roxas punched him in the arm. Axel was thankful for that. “Oh, Lexaeus followed them too, didn’t he? Dude is seriously on the football team.”

“Okay.” Roxas nodded and edged closer to Axel, and Axel finally turned and fully looked at him. Roxas tried to smile. “In my defense you hung up the phone.”

“I was cranky, okay.”

“Ya, ya, so come eat hot dogs with me.” Roxas stated and stood, “Or should you put on more sunscreen first? I would rather you not match your hair.”

“That was like one time.”

“More like one time a week all summer.” Roxas laughed and Axel blushed. Roxas also had the nerve to walk over to Saix and ask for the sunscreen. Axel concluded that he was not sure who was more ballsy: Zexion or Roxas.

Roxas returned like he had not just done something ultimately scary as he sat behind Axel and uncapped the bottle, rubbing sunscreen into Axel’s back without a word.

“Thanks, Rox.”

“You’re doing your front on your own.” Roxas mumbled back.

Axel nodded and tilted his head forward. Roxas’s hands felt wonderful. The tips slightly calloused from the guitar he had been working on learning for years but the rest smooth and small. Axel wanted to hold his hands, but instead he just relaxed under them and tried to not dwell on the way they lingered on his shoulders or how they felt against his spine.

Swim trunks hid like nothing.

Axel was tugged back into reality by Roxas nudging the bottle against his hand and the redhead fumbled to grab it, laughing softly. “Thanks.”

“Yeah. I’m going to go get food.”

“Bring me back a burger?”

“Ketchup and tomatoes?”

“You know me so well, dear.”

Roxas ignored that and trudged off. Roxas was in that awkward puberty related stage of everything and nothing and not sure how to deal with his bestfriend’s remarks. Axel found it kind of cute. But Axel found a lot of things about Roxas cute.

Axel was rubbing sunscreen into his left leg when Roxas returned and the redhead pointedly kept his back to the blond as he ate what could only be referred to as a phallic food item.

Roxas talked about school for the most part. About the classes he got stuck with Sora in. About how Sora whined over Riku not being around because who was supposed to help him with his homework then?

Axel was pretty sure Riku would go over to the Strife house every day if he could.

“So, what’s going on with Saix?” Roxas asked that once Axel turned back to him, done with the sunscreen and setting it on the grass under the chair.

“He bumped into me on Monday and invited me the lunch table.” Axel shrugged and happily took the plate handed to him. “With you not around he probably felt sorry for me, or something. I guess he ran into Xemnas before that and got invited to his table? I never really asked for all the details…”

Roxas nodded a couple times and tilted his head to the side. “I meant the way he looks at you.”

Axel almost choked on his burger. He succeeded in having tomato hang out of his mouth as he stared at Roxas. Roxas, for his part, did not laugh.

“I mean, it’s not perverse, but it’s not really… /friend/ either.” Roxas attempted to explain and Axel had the manners to shove tomato into his mouth, chew, swallow, and blink at the blond. “I’m probably imagining it.”

“Totally imaging it.” Axel replied and glanced over to where Saix and Xemnas were. Xemnas looked almost asleep, bored out of his mind, and Saix looked perfectly fine sitting next to him and doing nothing. But Saix was the kind of person honestly happy over just being around a person. Axel needed talking. Axel needed motion. Axel was awful with silence.

Silence with Roxas was okay though. Silence with Roxas was what he had until the kid stood and said he was going to grab another soda.

~~~~~~

Marluxia, or at least he assumed he was Marluxia with the way Vexen was holding his hand, reappeared somewhere between Roxas returning to sitting next to Axel and Xemnas standing to talk with Marluxia.

But Axel recognized that posture from a mile away. Xemnas was flirting. Xemnas was / _flirting_ / and Vexen was standing right there and taking it.

“I see what Saix was trying to warn us about.” Roxas whispered as he sat back down next to Axel. Axel who cast Saix a look and Saix looked away from him. Saix had been staring at him first.

“I- I’m going to make sure Saix is okay.”

“Heh?”

“Look dimwit, I’m not the one Saix is into Xemnas is.” Axel sighed, grabbed up the sunscreen from the grass, and walked over to the blue-haired male.

Axel was trying to digest the past minute of his life way too quickly for his brain to handle. For starters, the pink was not a dye job but a wig. Which explained why it had seemed off, but Axel could not place it. It was a high-class wig for sure.

Secondly, the insatiable urge to touch Marluxia’s face was because he wore makeup. He wore / _contouring_ / makeup, which made perfect sense but because of the T had started to be needed to be done differently because his face was starting to naturally make those contours.

The rest. Axel mentally swallowed. The 3% of him was doing little flops because Marluxia totally had at least a b, a small b, but it was so totally there.

The last part was the fact that Marluxia was now in way too many layers for a pool party. He also did not look like he wanted to join the party, even with Vexen’s coaxing. He looked even less like he wanted to join the party with Xemnas looking and talking to him.

The arm around his shoulders beat him to asking Saix. He was also completely unsure when Xigbar had left Xaldin’s side and gotten to his. Xigbar also smelt way more like the pool than he had any right to considering that Axel had not seen him in the pool since he got there.

“Since you look like you’re about to make the biggest mistake of your life I’ll be kind and save you,” Xigbar spoke way too close to his ear. Axel was also at a loss of what Xigbar meant until he continued, because it seemed that everyone was aware of Saix’s feelings for Xemnas. “Before Vexen set his eyes on Marluxia Xemnas totally had eyes on / _her_ / first. Vexen is totally gay, by the way, fun fact. Freshman year Mar didn’t really do all the stuff yet, probably a bit too scared yet. Of the knowledge they took like- inhibitors, maybe? Whatever doesn’t matter.” Xigbar shrugged and Axel was trying to keep up and not doing a good job. Xemnas liked Marluxia as a chick was about all he could gather from that. “What does matter is that Xemnas totally / _hates_ / Vexen. So, flirting with Marluxia when he looks like this is a huge ‘fuck you’, ya know?”

“Why aren’t we stopping him?” Axel questioned and Xigbar laughed and waved a hand at him.

“Mar is a big kid now; he can handle himself. He’s trying not to make a show for Vexen and Demyx’s sake. Blood around the pool is totally a no go with the parents, ya know? Though they probably could clean it up long before they get home… Anyway. Saix. Saix / _knows_ / about this because he knows everything about Xemnas. So basically, you look ready to rub that in Saix’s face and here I am being nice and saving you.”

“Fine, I get it.” Axel sighed and shrugged away from Xigbar heading back over to Roxas. Roxas had been watching him or had been until Sora came over to talk to him. Riku floating in the pool like he owned the place, considering he had no idea Riku even knew Demyx he could not decide if the behavior was normal or not. Axel also concluded that watching Riku topless for more than five seconds was dangerous. The kid practically sparkled.

Axel slammed a hand against his face when it clicked together, and he took his spot back on the beach chair. “Sora is Riku in the swim team?”

“Ya,” Sora’s voice had gone dreamy and his attention went to the silver-haired male in the pool, attention totally taken away from Roxas. “He does backstroke.”

“That’s how he knows Demyx.” Axel mumbled to himself and placed his chin on Roxas’s shoulder. “Want the dirt?”

“Who were you even talking to?”

“Xigbar, Xaldin is on the barbecue. Basically, if Saix doesn’t know something Xigbar does, and the dirt is Xemnas has the hots for Marluxia.”

“Xemnas would be the guy talking to Marluxia.” Roxas inferred and Axel nodded. Roxas tried not to laugh at the way his hair brushed against his neck.

“Marluxia is totally not interested.” Axel continued, “And Xemnas knows this but flirts with him to annoy Vexen for reasons that may be related to them dating. No one actually seems sure why they hate each other.”

“I kinda want to punch him.”

“If he needs to be punched someone closer will do it.” Axel held back the / _Ya, Marluxia does that to people_ /, on the principle that he had not known Marluxia much longer than Roxas had. Okay, Roxas had not met Marluxia yet so that was not totally true.

“Guess so.” Roxas responded, “Oh ya, Sora was-” Roxas made to gesture to the brunet who had left him to doggy paddle around Riku. “Sora was telling me about how Demyx’s pool is like always open, well, as long as it’s still warm.”

“I still don’t swim, Roxas.” Axel sighed and leaned away from the blond, “It’s still-” Axel waved a hand and flopped back against the chair, not realizing he was at an angle until his head was attempting to balance on air. Axel whined at Roxas’s laughter and adjusted, legs going at Roxas’s sides. “Basically, I am happy right here.”

“I’m going to go swim with Sora.”

“Leaving me alone, so mean.”

“You were alone before.”

“Didn’t know you were going to be here before.”

Roxas huffed and flopped back against Axel, giving no care to the way his elbow hit his rib or how Axel’s breath hitched when he turned to lay on top of him. “Fine, I’ll stay right here, you lonely celery stick.”

“Did you just call me a celery stick?” Axel would have laughed but he needed to focus on not wrapping an arm around Roxas, and not making friction. Roxas was warm. Roxas smelt like the sea and sunscreen and strawberries.

“Ya, but like one out of the oven. Not sure who puts celery sticks in an oven though…”

“The sun is totally going to your brain.” Axel chuckled and Roxas shook his head against his chest. Roxas’s hair was a texture all on its own due to product and the fact that it was naturally really soft. Roxas had really good hair. Roxas took care of his hair.

“Shut up you giant blueberry.”

“I thought I was a celery stick.”

“You smell like a blueberry.”

“I’m wearing Saix’s sunscreen, what do you expect?” Axel huffed and Roxas chuckled at him.

“You to let me take a nap since I’m not allowed in the water?”

“I didn’t say you’re not allowed.”

“Can’t be letting you get lonely.” Roxas mumbled and Axel finally gave into the urge to wrap an around the blond.

“Axel.” That was Vexen’s voice and it was about the last thing he wanted to hear right then.

“Can you hold off on yelling at me until I’m less comfy?” Axel groaned and opened his eyes to look at the blond, other hand raising to block out the sun.

“No, considering that I was positively comfortable until Marluxia moved into action.”

“Fine, fine, lay it on me.”

“That’s really not needed.” Marluxia was wearing a pale blue hoodie, but one of those short-sleeved ones. Axel never saw the point in them, but it was covering his hair and he assumed that was the point. He also looked positively annoyed at Vexen for walking ahead of him. “Vexen while I may love your long legs using them to walk ahead of me is rude.”

Vexen flushed and turned on his boyfriend, hands moving in what seemed random patterns to Axel, Axel turned his attention back to Roxas.

“Don’t you use that kind of language at me.” Marluxia huffed and turned away from the blond, “Look, I didn’t come over to ask for an apology. I came over to meet someone new.”

“Hey.” Roxas mumbled and shifted to look at Marluxia, taking him in and tilting his head to the side, “I’m pretty sure you went by me before, but I don’t remember seeing you.”

Marluxia placed a hand on Vexen’s chest, stopping him before he had a chance to turn defensive, “My names Marluxia, this nerd here is my boyfriend Vexen,”

“I am not a nerd.”

“Vexen you oversee the chess club and you are a mathlete. Anyway, I had to change out of things, so they could dry properly. Please use he and him and we should get along fine.”

Roxas blinked, that kind of blink that meant he was piecing things together. The one where his foreword scrunched up and Axel wanted to poke it and flatten it down. Roxas was often expressive without realizing it. Roxas nodded after a few moments, “I’m Roxas. I take it you already know Axel. He’s totally afraid of water so I’m keeping him company over here.”

“Can you say it in a way that doesn’t make me sound like a whimp?” Axel huffed and stilled when Roxas shifted to nearly sit up again, holding out a hand for Marluxia. “Can you also warn me when you are going to move?”

“Hush, you celery stick.” Roxas responded and shook Marluxia’s hand once he handed it over. “It’s nice to meet you, Marluxia.”

“The pleasure is mine, Roxas.” Marluxia smiled back before he gestured to Vexen. “I need to get Vexen back into the shade, he’s horrible with hot weather.”

Roxas nodded and relaxed onto Axel again, doing his best to not jab the redhead in the ribs.

Axel waved Vexen and Marluxia off.

“You really can go swim if you want,” Axel mumbled and wrapped an arm around Roxas again, flattening his shirt out. “I’m going to nap.”

“You won’t get mad?”

“We’re at a pool party. Go swim.” Axel huffed and withdrew his hand, laughing as Roxas removed his shirt and tossed it at his face. “No showing off or I might get jealous~”

“God you’re so gay,” Roxas chuckled as he got off Axel and waved after him, walking over to the poll and calling out to Sora before jumping in.

“…Ya.” Axel mumbled and rolled onto his stomach, crossing arms under his head and rather easily falling asleep. Axel could probably put his sleeping skills on a resume.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What just happened?” Xaldin asked once the commotion quieted down, looking to Xigbar with a tilted head and raised brow, squinting slightly.

Xigbar stepped a pick closer, crossing arms over his chest. “Can you really see well enough to cook?”

“Obviously.” Xaldin sighed and gestured a spatula at him. “But not the pool. What just happened?”

“Axel almost walked into the pool. Like, literally, kids showed up and Axel stood up and tried to make a beeline to them. Mar moved to stop him, but Axel didn’t have any intentions to stop and Mar fell in.”

“Into the pool?”

“Yup.”

“Then the commotion was getting him out and upstairs.”

“Seems so.” Xigbar stated and reached out a hand to curl around the band of the goggles Xaldin kept around his neck, “Can we swim again later?”

“Sure.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Party rules.” Axel was rudely awoken by wet clothing and flesh sitting next to him and practically on him, “State that you should be in the pool.”

Axel blinked at the blond hovering over him, thankfully blocking out the light and grinning at him. “I’m not good with pools.”

“Can’t swim?” Demyx, their host, tilted his head at him and Axel looked away. “Riku and I could teach you.”

“It’s not that,” Axel responded and rubbed at his eyes with the palms of his hands. “I’m really not good with bodies of water.”

“Something happen?” Demyx was the type of person with a voice like the ocean. The kind you could get lost in that was constantly going up and down. To Axel it was scary. Demyx one moment sounded as happy as could be and the next his voice was dripping with worry.

“Ya.” Axel mumbled and rolled onto his side, giving the blond more space on the lounge chair.

“Wanna talk about it?”

“No.”

“Okay.” Demyx’s voice went back to chipper as he stood, “If you change your mind find me.”

“Don’t count on it.” Axel mumbled but Demyx’s smile only grew as he waved at him and returned to the pool.

Weirdo.

~~~

Axel attempted to sleep more, laying on his stomach once more. This rude awakening came in the form of someone sitting on his ass without any care that that was his / _ass_ /. Thank you very much.

“Roxas.” Axel mumbled on assumption.

“Still in the pool.” Axel groaned at the chipper voice and hands on his shoulders, trying to calm tense muscles. “How are you holding up?”

“Not sure if better or worse now, Sora.” The redhead mumbled and tried to not moan at the way Sora’s hands worked his back. “Lie. Better.”

“Not what I’m asking.” Sora whispered as he pressed thumbs gently into Axel’s shoulder blades, humming softly as he worked. “How are you holding up?”

“The pool is there. I am here. Perfectly dandy.” Axel huffed and hid his face further into his arms, muffling his voice. “You do this to Riku?”

“Then you are tense over school? Roxas?” Sora questioned, hands traveling, “Riku’s brother makes him tense, are you fighting with yours?”

“I am perf-god, Sora, you are magical,” Axel mumbled, and Sora chuckled, “I am /perfectly/ okay. Barely see Reno. Not mad at Roxas. Totally okay.”

“No. You’re scared for Roxas.” Sora whispered and leaned down, hands flattening against Axel’s back as he nuzzled ginger strands. “A person’s back says a lot about them,” Sora stated as he leaned away, “You’re afraid of losing someone else to the water, Axel.”

"So, what if I am?!” Axel yelled, flinched when Sora’s hands simply pressed down against his back, holding him, thinking, before they moved again. “It’s a perfectly rational fear.”

“It is, but you won’t even look at him.” Sora stated, hands working slowly and eventually smoothing over Axel’s hair when the redhead didn’t respond but instead started to shake softly. “You’re afraid of not being able to / _save_ / someone, Axel. That’s your fear.”

“Shut up.” Axel whispered, hid his face in his arms deeper, trying his best to ignore Sora. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“I wouldn’t?” Sora frowned and leaned away from Axel, arms crossing over his chest. “Why do you think Riku joined the swim team? Took CPR classes? You’re not alone, Axel. We all care about you.”

Axel sighed and turned his head to the side. “Sorry.”

“Good.” Sora responded and uncrossed his arms, working his hands over Axel’s shoulders. “I’m not telling you to get over it. I’m telling you that you can save Roxas.”

“You have way too much faith in me.” Axel sighed and closed his eyes once more, relaxing under Sora’s hands.

“You almost walked into a pool to get to him.”

“Please don’t remind me.”

“I’m saying you’d do anything for Roxas.”

“Ya, I would.” Axel sighed and hid his face in his arms again.

“Good. So, do me a favor and at least try to watch him. Nothing’s going to happen. Riku and Demyx are right there.” Sora whispered as he shifted off Axel and stood back up. “Everything is going to be okay, Axel.”

Sora had the ability to make everything sound okay. Sora had too much faith in people, but Axel knew once someone broke that the boy could turn murderous. Sora looked on the bright side of things and that was probably why Riku complimented him so well; he looked on the dark side.

Axel nodded as he rolled over and sat up, reaching his arms out for Sora and pulling the brunet into a hug. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Sora grinned and tucked his face into Axel’s neck, squeezing him back. “Gotta start somewhere, Ax. I don’t like seeing you all haunted.”

“I’m not- have I-?”

“A little,” Sora nodded and grinned as he pulled away. “I’m going back to the pool now.”

Axel nodded back and let Sora go, relaxing into his chair again and turning his attention to the pool. “Be careful.”

“Of course.” Sora giggled, and he was off.

Axel breathed deeply as he focused on the pool, pulling legs up to his chest as he watched a familiar blob of golden hair. A little less spiky now, and a little more brown than blond due to the water, but still totally recognizable. Axel could do this.

Axel watched the pool until Roxas was pulling himself out of it, shaking his hair off and chuckling as Sora squealed at his side. Axel looked away once Roxas was walking over to him, shining under the sunlight and he really wanted to touch all the lean muscle that made up Roxas’s chest.

“Hey.” Roxas whispered once he flopped down next to Axel, leaning his head against Axel’s legs. “You doin’ okay?”

“Ya, I’m okay. Sora talked to me,” Axel dragged a hand through his hair, trying to think up words, “I know you’re safe, but I’m still scared.”

“Are you only worrying about me?” Roxas raised a brow at him.

Axel flushed and looked away. “No, but you’re the one I’d be most devastated over losing.”

“You miss her a lot, don’t you?”

“Ya.” Axel whispered and turned to Roxas, opening his arms for the blond to curl up against him. “Dad hasn’t been the same since then. And Reno… Reno’s turned to a lot of alternatives to deal with his pain.”

“But how are / _you_ / holding up?” Roxas whispered as he nuzzled into Axel’s neck, relaxing in his arms. “Not that I don’t care about Reno, but you’re here, not him.”

“I miss her, Rox. I miss her all the time.” Axel responded and nuzzled Roxas’s hair, breathing in his smell. “It’s not just you I’m scared for. I’m scared for me.”

“Axel?”

“Every time I look at that pool I think about / _joining_ / her.”

“I’m glad you haven’t.”

Axel shrugged, “It wouldn’t work.”

“Hm?”

“Killing myself is a one-way ticket to hell, Rox. It wouldn’t get me to my mom.”

“Oh.” Roxas mumbled the sound and wrapped his arms around Axel’s waist tightly. “I want you here.”

“I’m not- I mean I am a little- but it’s not… it’s not like / _that_ /,” Axel attempted and squeezed Roxas, “I want to be here too. But sometimes I really want to be with my mom.”

“Okay.” Roxas nodded and leaned away. “Oh ya, Demyx is going to be ordering pizza. That’s what I came over to tell you.”

“I guess it is getting late.” Axel mumbled and let Roxas go. “You done swimming?”

“Mm, guess so. The others will probably be out soon and then we’ll move inside and have pizza.” Roxas nodded and stretched, arms going above his head, giggling when Axel tickled his ribs. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“I’m glad you showed up.”

“That was totally luck.” Roxas giggled and batted his hands away once Sora came over to join them, toweling off his hair.

“Riku and I are going to go change,” Sora stated, tossing the towel at Roxas, “Don’t get a cold.”

“Ya, ya.” Roxas caught the towel and waved a hand at Sora. “No making out in a closet.”

Sora blushed and ran off, almost tripping but having Riku grab his arm and take him inside. Typical.

“You trying to get your brother killed?”

“No. Riku would totally kill me and then you would be all alone.”

“Hey, hey, I still got Saix.” Axel huffed and crossed arms over his chest when Roxas rose a brow at him, “You’re just asking to be kissed now.”

“Calm your gay for a few more hours, Ax.” Roxas huffed and stood up, draping towel over his shoulder, “I’m going to go get changed.”

“No one at this party is straight, Rox!” Axel called out as Roxas walked off, the kid waved a hand over his shoulder at him. It was true.

~~~~

Roxas had not been joking about Demyx ordering pizza. Demyx’s living room had become pizza, and it was about the most glorious sight in the universe.

It also did not last long with over a dozen high schoolers and middle schoolers.

Demyx had puppy-eyed Xaldin and Lexaeus into moving the furniture out of the way in the living room. Couches and tables moved to the walls and now that the middle of the living room was carpet Demyx instructed them to get in a circle.

Axel did not know Demyx well enough to know this is where his worry should have started. He settled down between Roxas and Saix.

“We have so many new faces today,” Demyx stated as he commanded them to make a better circle, eventually forming a shape he approved of as he set the empty coke bottle in the middle of them.

“Axel you get to start because I say so.” Demyx continued as he passed the bottle over to Axel.

“Uh, might want to tell me what we are doing first.”

“Spin the bottle, silly.” Demyx grinned and Axel swallowed heavily.

Axel had known most of the room for less than a week, and those he knew for longer the thought of kissing made blood rush places he would rather it not rush right then. So, he swallowed and closed his eyes and spun it, peaking his eyes open only when he felt small hands on his face.

“Touch my hair and I kill you.” Zexion stated and Axel nodded.

Up close Zexion’s eye was a lot bluer than it seemed at other times and Axel was unsure where to place his hands let alone how to look at his fellow freshman. Axel had known Zexion for a day. And all he knew about the guy was that he was a nerd. A total emo nerd. And if that was Axel’s type he probably would have found him attractive. But he was into… Roxas. Not sure if he was really into how Roxas looked, if he thought about it, but he knew he was into Roxas. Upon further thought Zexion really wasn’t that bad.

Zexion also had no trouble settling into his lap and waiting for Axel to kiss him.

Xigbar started making countdown sounds just to mess with Axel. Axel swallowed and placed his hands on Zexion’s shoulders before leaning down and quickly kissing him. Face on fire.

Zexion seemed unfazed as he returned to his spot between Demyx and Lexaeus.

Demyx coughed and passed the bottle to Roxas. Roxas shrugged and took the bottle and gave it a bored spin, relaxing because what did he have to loss?

And then it fell on Saix. Axel felt like he was going to faint, this was not helped by the fact that his two best friends were leaning forward and peering around him to look at each other.

Roxas swallowed and moved to sit before Saix. Saix stared at him, glanced to Xemnas, stared back at Roxas before he leaned down and kissed Roxas with a softness Axel had not expected. Roxas was blushing by the time he scooted back to his seat, fingers touching at his lips.

“That was unlike you,” Xemnas stated as he stared at Saix, brow raised.

Saix looked away as he took the bottle, playing with it between his fingers. “Was that your first kiss, Roxas?”

“'Course not,” Roxas huffed and crossed arms over his chest, “What group of guys plays spin the bottle anyway?”

“Me.” Demyx pipped up.

“It’s a tradition.” Vexen sighed and ran a hand over his face, “Saix please spin.”

Saix nodded and spun, eyes growing wide when it landed on Marluxia. “Does this warrant a respin?”

“Nope.” Demyx grinned.

Marluxia whispered something to Vexen before he smirked as he crossed the circle. “That hurts, Saix,” Marluxia whispered and trailed a hand through Saix’s hair, tangling a hand in it and tugging softly, smirk growing when the man bit back a sound. “Rules state respins are allowed only if you get yourself or a relative.”

Saix stared at him and nodded softly, bit back another sound when the motion caused his own hair to be tugged on.

Marluxia nearly purred before he leaned down and kissed Saix, gaze on Xemnas as he made a show of it. Blue eyes falling closed after a moment and his other hand went to Saix’s cheek as he worked the man’s mouth open. He only pulled away once he felt Saix’s hands in his hair and grinned at the rather breathless freshman.

Saix slumped against Xemnas’s shoulder once Marluxia removed his hands and walked back over to Vexen’s side, smirking at his job well done and the way Xemnas stared at him. He could taunt right back.

The bottle was now Marluxia’s, and he pointed it at Demyx of all people. "If this lands on Xemnas I am punching him in the dick.”

“Doesn’t break the rules.” Demyx nodded.

Saix nodded as well.

Axel tried to process what that meant. Axel also tried to ignore how breathless Saix was and 100% of him wondering what else Marluxia could do with his mouth. Stupid Fuckin’ Hormones.

Marluxia kissed the bottle ‘for luck’ and naturally it landed on Xemnas. Marluxia grinned and moved forward to have Vexen block him with an arm and pull him into a kiss instead. Marluxia melted against Vexen and Vexen huffed softly. “I am not letting you touch another guy’s privates.”

“Well, I guess that means the bottle is Vexy’s.” Demyx giggled and giggled / _more_ / when Vexen shot him a glare for the nickname.

“You know I only play so you don’t bitch and moan all month about me not.” Vexen sighed and spun the bottle. It landed on Lexaeus and the blond coughed softly.

Lexaeus had been talking to Zexion quietly, and Zexion was the one to gesture for Lexaeus to notice the game again.

“No? Yes?” Vexen questioned Demyx. Axel had figured out by now that Demyx was the all governing spin the bottle captain, or some shit like that.

“You cannot form an argument for this one, Vexy. Yes.” Demyx huffed and covered his eyes with his hands. “So, get to it.”

Vexen sighed and shuffled to his right, settling down in front of Lexaeus and staring at him. From what Axel had gathered, mostly because of everything to do with Marluxia, Lexaeus totally had a crush on Vexen and the blond totally knew. The blond might have even had a crush on him too.

Axel looked to Marluxia who had stuck up conversation with Riku. Marluxia looked like he knew Riku, which Axel probably should not have been too surprised by because pretty people flocked together. But it also meant that Axel had no idea if Marluxia was ignoring Vexen’s turn or just being sociable.

Lexaeus and Vexen stared at each other, honestly just stared until Lexaeus wrapped an arm around Vexen’s back, cupped his chin, and kissed him lightly and until Vexen was gently pushing him away.

“Can I look now?” Demyx mumbled and Vexen moved back to his spot.

“Yes.” Vexen sighed and looked to Marluxia, leaning over and nuzzling his head and disrupting conversation.

Axel really didn’t care and turned his attention to Demyx who was retrieving the bottle and handing it over to Xaldin. “Your turn.”

“Should it not be Lexaeus’s turn?” Xaldin questioned as he set the bottle down.

“Technically, but if Lexy gets any redder he’ll totally explode, so your turn.”

Xaldin shrugged and spun the bottle. What did he care? And then it landed on Xigbar and the guy next to him grinned. Xigbar made a show slipping into his lap and draped his arms around Xaldin’s shoulders. Xaldin laughed and shook his head.

“No pussy footin’ around it now, Xal-dy~” Xigbar chuckled and eeped when Xaldin grabbed his ass.

“Shut up.”

“Make me~”

Lexaeus covered Demyx’s eyes and Axel had the urge to do the same for Roxas. But he could not move. It was a trainwreck. A really muscley trainwreck and Axel covered his ears because he was pretty sure one of them had just / _moaned_ /.

Vexen kicked Xigbar by the time the two of them were getting honestly vocal and Axel finally looked away from the view he could see pretty perfectly. Xigbar and Xaldin were biting and licking and Axel felt faint. And maybe a bit aroused.

“You two are ruining the decency of Demyx’s game.” Vexen harped.

Xigbar chuckled as he leaned away from Xaldin and pouted when the man rather literally removed him from his lap and set him back next to him. “Pretty sure Marluxia ruined the 'decency’ of Demyx’s game when he kissed Saix.”

“Marluxia was in no way that bad!” Vexen yelled and looked to Marluxia, raising a brow at the man who was looking away from him. “Right?”

“I was not that bad…” Marluxia whispered.

Vexen huffed and pointed to Demyx. “Fine, whatever. Demyx I say it is your turn.”

Demyx shrugged and Lexaeus removed his hands and returned them to his lap. Zexion coughed softly once his view was unobscured as well, Lexaeus having leaned over him to get to Demyx.

Demyx spun the bottle with what Axel would call flair. Flair that died out when it landed on Xemnas and the blond looked ready to cry.

Zexion patted Demyx on the knee and told the blond he could redo. No one was about to argue. Demyx respun and got Riku. Riku rose a brow at the blond and Demyx coughed and crossed the circle, leaning down to kiss Riku quickly, before scurrying back to his spot.

Riku laughed softly and went to pick up the bottle, room laughing when his hand touched down on it. He removed his hand and looked to Sora like the brunet would understand the joke he was missing.

Sora smiled and leaned forward and kissed him, grinning. “Hi.”

Riku smirked and wrapped his arms around Sora, kissing him softly over and over.

“Okay, that’s enough playing,” Vexen stated as he stood, pulling Marluxia up by the hand. “And if you two are going to turn this into a round of seven minutes in heaven at least have the decency to find a closet!” The blond yelled as he gestured at Sora and Riku.

Sora and Riku broke off with flushed faces.

Demyx was the first to start laughing but it caught on quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Demyx - Xemnas - Saix - Axel - Roxas - Sora - Riku - Marluxia - Vexen - Xigbar - Xaldin - Lexaeus - Zexion - Demyx)


End file.
